Grateful thanks to Nick Halewood for scans and information about the QE2 Judicials of Jamaica, to Paul Wright for expertise on the impressed issues and much else, to George James for Z1, and to Michael Florer of the USA for adding to my scan library of Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. The recent Jamaica Social Security stamps with elliptical perforation (S21/22) were kindly brought to my attention by Steven Zirinsky, whose website can be found here.

For stamps listed elsewhere under Customs, see under Revenue.For stamps inscribed National Insurance, see under Social Security.

Currency

(Until 1969) 20 shillings = 1 pound sterling (12 pence = 1 shilling)

(1969-present) 100 cents = 1 Jamaican dollar

Coffee Industry Board

The following stamps were used to acknowledge the payment of cess (levy) on coffee products. They were issued by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica, which was established in June 1950 to rehabilitate and expand the coffee industry.

J32. 6d dull and bright purple J33. 1s black on green J34. 2s purple and bright blue on blueNote: although the Requisition Books do not specify the watermark, it seems likely that all the printings from July 1922 onwards (see list below) were on Script CA paper, which was introduced in 1922. It is worth noting that all values from 3d to 8s6d were reprinted during this period, so it should be possible to find examples of these on Script paper (as listed by Barefoot), though I have not yet seen the 3d, 5s and 8s6d. The 10s and £1 values were not reprinted in 1922 or later, and will only exist with MCA watermark. I have seen an example of the 10s MCA used in 1939, which would seem to confirm that the MCA printings of this value were still being used up at the beginning of the reign of King George VI.

Note: all Judicial issues from J41 onwards were produced by overprinting specially printed sheets of stamps inscribed Postage and Revenue. None of the stamps bearing the portraits of King George VI or Queen Elizabeth II was issued without Judicial overprint.

Req 1363/2 (sent to Jamaica 13th August 1940): 1s, 2s - These stamps were carried aboard the SS Empire Merchant, which on 16th August 1940 was sunk by a German U-boat 186 miles west of Ireland whilst en route to Jamaica

Req 1363/4 (sent to Jamaica 14th November 1940): 1s, 2s - This entry in the Req Book is annotated 'Replacement of stamps lost in SS "Empire Merchant"'

Note: according to the Requisition Books (see list of printings below), a 3d value was included in the first printing of this issue, but I have not seen an issued example. A proof of this value in brown-purple on white paper exists in the Crown Agents archive.

Notes:1. Based on the printing records, the 5s, 10s and £1 should also exist with the Block CA watermark, though I have not seen these. The final printings listed under J62/70 may also belong here (the Requisition books do not specify watermark), in which case the 6s6d should also exist for this set. Barefoot lists the 5s and 6s6d.2. Barefoot also lists stamps in this watermark and perf 13, which may be an error for perf 14 or may refer to my J87/90.

Notes:1. These stamps are believed to emanate from the final Crown Agents requisition for pre-decimal stamps - Req 8/27087/1. Only these three values were printed in this reduced format before the conversion to decimal currency.2. According to Crown Agents records, the order for these stamps was placed with De La Rue, but their small format and litho-printed appearance suggests that the printing (along with that of J91/99) was in fact carried out by John Waddington Ltd of Leeds, the company which bought part of De La Rue's business in 1969.

Notes:1. The first printing was approved on 16th April 1969 and presumably issued later that year.2. The watermark has the tail of the letter J to the right on the 5c to 40c and the tail to the left on the 50c to $2.3. Head plate 2A is recorded for all values.

Note: the earliest recorded usage for this issue is a document dated May 1975, which has the 20c of this set (J103) plus the 10c of the earlier perf 13 set (J92). A similar document bearing the 10c and 20c but both perf 13 is also cancelled in May 1975, which suggests that the new perforation came into use at about this time and not earlier.

J111/119

1975-76. New printing by Harrison. Change to perf 14 x 14½ and wmk Multiple J and pineapple now upright.

Notes:1. The De La Rue / Waddington printings (J91/109) have the letters J and A of the inscription JAMAICA covered by the overprint, whereas Harrison placed the overprint higher on the stamps such the whole of JAMAICA is kept clear.2. The first printings were approved on 16th July 1975, except the 40c and 85c, which were approved on 4th March 1976.3. The image below is said to show the 5c, 10c, 65c, 85c and $1 with inverted watermark, but I have not been able to verify these personally.4. All values to the $1 are known with postal cancels.

Examples of J111/2 and J116/8 stated to be inverted watermark (not verified by me)

A set of stamps in small horizontal format was prepared for the Jamaica Pensions Authority in March 1961. The Crown Agents archive in the British Library includes proofs of twelve different values in the following colours: 1s turquoise-green, 2s slate-blue, 3s bright purple, 4s chocolate, 5s blue, 6s vermilion, 7s brown-purple, 8s pearl-grey, 9s bright green, 10s yellow-orange, 11s dull violet, 12s bistre. The order was cancelled prior to printing.

Revenue stamps

All issues were printed (typo) by De La Rue, London. The following stamps are recorded postally used (being authorised for this in 1887), and are listed in the Stanley Gibbons as postal fiscals. The dates of issue shown below are taken from Gibbons. Adhesive impressed / embossed revenue stamps are listed separately towards the end of this section.

1855-74. Arms of Jamaica. 18 x 22 mm. Glazed paper.

R1/2 in pairs

a) Imperf, no watermark (1855)

R1. 1½d blue on blue R2. 3d purple on blue

Note: Morley lists two different shades of the 1½d (ultramarine and blue), and Gibbons also lists the 3d on lilac paper.

Examples of all three values are known overprinted Specimen, as shown below. The 10s is also known (see below right) imperforate with a reversed Crown CA watermark, though all the recorded issued examples are unwatermarked. This may have been a proof or possibly a printer's sample produced after the stamps were discontinued.

Notes:1. Both Gibbons and Barefoot list a 1d imperf with pineapple watermark, though it is not clear whether this is an error or a separate early printing. Gibbons also lists R35 imperf, which is presumably an error. I have not seen any of these imperf stamps.2. Morley lists the Crown CC stamp (R33) with wmk sideways. I have not seen this.

Revenue usage of Postage stamps

Note: for ease of reference, numbering follows the Stanley Gibbons Part 1 catalogue throughout this section. Values listed here are those recorded as having been used for revenue purposes.

With the exception of F31 and F89, all stamps from F16 to F89a measure 18 x 22 mm and were printed (typo) by De La Rue.

Note: F124a/b are described in the Gibbons catalogue as perf 13 x 13½ and perf 12½ x 13 respectively, though in my view this is confusing since the horizontal perforation measurement is the same on both stamps. Gibbons describes F128a as perf 13½ x 13.

Printing:All the stamps in this section were printed in sheets of 60 by Somerset House, London. The country name was typographed first in black, then the design added in grey or blue using an inked embossing process. Similar stamps without the Jamaica underprint were issued for Great Britain.

Dies:Each embossing die is identified by one or two code letters, or by a pair of roses. The die code for each stamp is given in brackets in this listing. There are a number of minor variations in design from one die to the next of the same value, relating to the shape of the crown and the position of the die letters. The small-format 3d, 6d, 1s, 5s and 10s originally had the crown in the centre with the value above. The positions of these elements of the design were reversed in the 1920s, placing the crown at the top and the value in the centre. The original types have a single die letter while the redrawn types have a double letter (except the 10s Y, which is in the later type). For further details see the articles by McClellan and Seidelman.

Y1/15 showing one of each value (different die letters not shown)

Note: an illustration showing
all recorded varieties of this issue including differences of die
letter can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Notes:1. Most values of this set are known used from 1899. The earliest recorded usage is shown in brackets where this is not the case.2. A number of values of this set have been recorded in brown, but it seems certain that these are colour changelings.

A complete table showing the earliest and latest recorded usage of each value, as well as an illustration of the so-called brown printings, can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Y21/32 showing one of each value (different die letters etc not shown)

Note: an illustration showing all recorded varieties of this issue including differences of die letter can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Notes:1. The 3d (F), 9d, 1s and 2s (I) are known used in 1902. For the remaining values of the set, the earliest recorded usage is shown in brackets.2. A number of values of this set have been recorded in brown, but it seems certain that these are colour changelings.

A complete table showing the earliest and latest recorded usage of each value, as well as an illustration of the so-called brown printings, can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Y41/54 including both types of the 6d and 10s (different die letters not shown) - see below right for Y55 and Y61

Y55 and Y61

Note: an illustration showing all recorded varieties of this issue including differences of die letter can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

1913-31 (recorded usage). As previous two issues but colour changed from grey to blue. Overprint at top or in centre, with two different types of 6d and 10s. Perf 12. No watermark. Dates of earliest recorded use shown in brackets.

Notes:1. In addition to the above values, Cameron records the large-format £2 (F) used 30-8-1924, though I have not seen this.2. The values shown in square brackets have not yet been recorded as issued stamps, but their existence is known from the Crown Agents Requisition Books. In these cases the date of dispatch to Jamaica is given in brackets. The Requisition Books do not record the die codes, though in some cases these can be worked out by corroboration with other archive records.3. As well as the prominent changes in design noted for the 6d and 10s values, the 2s, 3s, 4s and 15s also show slight variations in design from one die to another. For further details, see the articles by McClellan and Seidelman.4. This issue displays a complex spectrum of shades from greyish blue, slate, violet-blue and blue to ultramarine. The general trend of shades was less grey and more blue as time progressed.

A complete table showing the earliest and latest recorded usage of each value, as well as details of print quantities from June 1922 onwards, can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Y71/93a showing one of each value (different die letters not shown)

Note: an illustration showing
all recorded varieties of this issue including differences of die
letter can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

1931-59. As 1913-31 issue but overprint at or towards foot of stamp. Small designs for all values. Perf 12. No watermark.

1. The dates in brackets represent the earliest recorded usage.2. The values shown in square brackets have not yet been recorded as issued stamps, but their existence is known from the Crown Agents Requisition Books. In these cases the date of dispatch to Jamaica is given in brackets.

A complete table showing the earliest and latest recorded
usage of each value, as well as details of print quantities, can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Y102/123 showing one of each value (different die letters not shown)

Note: an illustration showing
all recorded varieties of this issue including differences of die
letter can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Notes:1. The dates in brackets represent the earliest recorded usage.2. The values shown in square brackets have not yet been recorded as issued stamps, but their existence is known from the Crown Agents Requisition Books. In these cases the date of dispatch to Jamaica is given in brackets.

A complete table showing the earliest and latest recorded
usage of each value, as well as details of print quantities, can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

Direct embossed

A note on illustrations: in order to illustrate the colourless embossed stamps in this section, it has been necessary in most cases to shade or rub them gently with a soft pencil to bring out the contours of the design. This results in an image which is effectively the negative of an inked embossed design. For example the 15s vermilion of the 1882-99 issue (Z44c) has the crown and inscriptions in white with the background in colour, while the colourless stamps of the same set are shown with the crown and inscriptions in black with the background in white.

Notes:1. The value 'V SHILLINGS' on Z1 appears in one line, and on Z5 in two lines.​2. I am currently unable to illustrate the 10d value though I have seen two examples.3. Barber also lists a 10s and 15s in similar designs, and a 7½d and £1 issued around the same time in unspecified design. I have not seen any of these.​4. Earliest recorded usage: 1813 (Z9), 1820 (Z3), 1822 (Z4). Barber gives 1804 as the start date for this issue, though I have not seen any examples used this early.

Z76b/99a including both types of the 1d (different die letters not shown)

Note: an illustration showing all recorded varieties of this issue including differences of die letter can be found on the Jamaica supplementary information page here.

1901-70 (recorded usage). Crown over Arms of Jamaica in frames of different shapes, all 25 to 30 mm across. All designs incorporate date plugs, with the year plug on the right. The recorded dates of use are shown in brackets. Colourless (Z76b) or vermilion (others).

1974 (recorded usage). As previous issue but change to decimal currency, and with legend around the arms now in English (OUT OF MANY ONE PEOPLE) rather than Latin.

Z118d. 15c vermilion (D) (1974)

Notes:1. The 15c is the only value I have seen as an issued stamp, but twenty different values from 1c to $10000 are known as proofs. These were offered for sale by Murray Payne in July 2016. These all have date plugs for 8-8-54, though this was presumably not the date of production since Jamaica did not adopt decimal currency until 1969.2. Barber additionally lists the 8c, 12c and 20c values but I have not seen these.

Decimal proof set from 1c to $10000 (grateful thanks to Murray Payne for use of their image)